On Thursday, March 13, 2025, Kalamazoo Nonviolent Opponents of War (KNOW), WMU Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), and WMU Muslim Student Association (MSA) will host a special event, free and open to the community, “Surviving Genocide: A WMU Graduate’s Journey from Gaza to Michigan,” featuring Abdelaziz Abu Shaaban, a WMU alumnus and survivor of Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza.

This event will provide a critical space for testimony, education, and collective reflection on the genocide in Gaza, as well as an opportunity for the community to come together in solidarity and action.

Abdelaziz Abu Shaaban: Background

Abdelaziz Abu Shaaban first arrived in Kalamazoo over twenty years ago to complete a Master's degree in Teaching, Learning and Educational Studies at Western Michigan University. During his degree program, he and his wife welcomed their first child, Yousof. After graduation, the family returned to Gaza and Abdelaziz lovingly served his community for two decades as a school teacher, specializing in instruction for the visually impaired, and welcomed two daughters to his family.

It's an understatement to say that everything changed in October 2023 when Israel's relentless bombardment of the Gaza strip began. On October 18, an Israeli airstrike ripped through the family home, killing Abdelaziz's oldest daughter Joud, and severely injuring him and his other children, just weeks after Yousof had begun his university studies. It's necessary to note that Abdelaziz lost his sight at the age of 8, so when his right arm was severely injured in the attack, he lost much of his ability to navigate the world all over again. After being treated at an overwhelmed Al Shifa Hospital, the family was among few able to evacuate to Egypt in November 2023, and then to the United States in December, eventually landing in Flint, Michigan.

Abdelaziz has undergone numerous procedures and rehabilitation programs to regain the use of his dominant arm, and is currently completing a program at the Bureau of Services for Blind Persons in Kalamazoo. He has used his time here to reconnect to the Kalamazoo community, to share his story and to advocate for an end to Israel's genocide in Gaza and the liberation of the Palestinian people.

This event will feature:

• A keynote address by Abdelaziz Abu Shaaban, detailing his personal journey, the war crimes committed against his people, and the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.

• A communal dinner at 7:30 PM, honoring the observance of Ramadan by breaking fast together at sunset.

• An interactive Q&A session, providing an opportunity for attendees to engage directly with Abdelaziz, ask questions, and discuss avenues for action.

Honoring Ramadan & Inviting the Community to Break Fast

As this event falls during the holy month of Ramadan, KNOW, WMUSJP, and WMUMSA invite the Muslim and non-Muslim community to join us for a communal dinner at 7:30 PM, catered by Shawarma King. We hope to create space for collective reflection and solidarity with Palestinians, many of whom have been forcibly starved due to Israel’s blockade and targeted destruction of food supplies.

Why This Matters

Expanding perspectives is critical in a time of mass disinformation. This event offers attendees the opportunity to hear directly from a Gaza genocide survivor, challenging mainstream narratives and deepening understanding of the realities on the ground in Gaza.

The genocide in Gaza has claimed the lives of what experts and officials estimate to be between 200,000 and 800,000 Palestinians. The U.S. government remains Israel’s largest financial and military financier, approving billions in weapons sales that continue to fuel ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.

Meanwhile, international students across the U.S. —including those at WMU—are facing unprecedented political persecution and repression due to recent executive orders targeting pro-Palestinian activists. Universities that rely heavily on international student tuition, including WMU, have failed to protect their students from these threats. Community-building and care are essential in times of crisis. This event is an opportunity to come together in solidarity, learn and connect, provide mutual support, and reaffirm our shared commitment to justice and humanity.

WMU students, faculty, staff, and community members are invited to attend. Admission is free and open to the public. Donations will be directed to support Palestinian relief efforts.

Masks provided. Free parking in lot 61.

WMUK Article: A wounded WMU alumnus from Gaza is healing in the US, but says “I don't want to be a burden"

WMUK Article: Peace activists fundraise for a Gaza City family with Kalamazoo ties

Join KNOW and Palestine Solidarity Grand Rapids as we march on the Democratic National Convention in Chicago to demand the so-called progressive party nominate a candidate who opposes US Intervention in Palestine and who will end US aid to Israel!

Can’t attend? SUPPORT OUR TRAVEL EXPENSES

BUSSING: We will meet in Grand Rapids at 8am for check-in, and arrive in Chicago ahead of the planned rally and march. We will leave Chicago before 7 pm and arrive back to our starting location by 11 pm. These times are subject to change slightly as more information comes available.

If you are unable to afford the $50 ticket price, there are a limited number of subsidized seats available. Please email palestinesolidaritygr@gmail.com with your request for a sponsored ticket and let us know how much you are able to afford. First come, first served.

RESERVE YOUR BUS TICKET HERE

From the Coalition to March on the DNC website:

The March on the DNC coalition fights for the rights and liberation of oppressed people and against the exploitation of workers. Beginning on August 19th 2024, we will march on the Democratic National Convention in Chicago to bring the people's agenda to within sight and sound of the Democratic Party leadership.

We recognize the Democratic Party as a tool of billionaires and corporations.

Their actions, such as financing genocide in Palestine and war in multiple countries; continuing the mass incarceration of Black and brown people; deporting millions of immigrants; and neglecting campaign promises made to the oppressed communities who represent their voting base, show that the Democratic Party only serves the agenda of the rich and powerful. Recent gains in the rights of oppressed people have been made by grassroots organizations in spite of a lack of support and often outright opposition from Democratic Party leaders.

History has proven what Frederick Douglass once said: “power concedes nothing without a demand.”

We are calling on other grassroots organizations that are fighting for exploited and oppressed people to unite with us as we take the demands of the people to the Democratic Party in August 2024.

Volunteer: https://www.kzoo4peace.org/marchondnc

Join KNOW and our co-sponsors for the ‘Not Another Bomb’ national day of action to demand an immediate, permanent ceasefire and a lasting arms embargo to put an end the violence in Gaza and ensure human rights for all. As part of of our weekly Sunday protest, we will rally in front of the Kalamazoo Federal Building beginning at 12pm before marching to City Hall, making various stops at war monuments along the way.

MASKS ARE HIGHLY ENCOURAGED.

RSVP HERE

Come down to Bronson Park after the screening of the LAST film in our Palestine film series for a mutual aid fundraiser! Beginning at 5pm, this event will feature a silent auction, corn hole tournament, bake sale, and much more. All proceeds will be donated directly to Palestinian families in need.

If you would like to enter the bake sale or donate an item to the silent auction, please email us.

MASKS ARE HIGHLY ENCOURAGED.

Volunteer: https://www.kzoo4peace.org/volunteer